Former East Haven Officer Dies After Battle With Brain Cancer

EAST HAVEN, CT — Former East Haven Police Officer Vincent Ferrara, 54, passed away after a battle with an aggressive brain cancer.

Ferrara became a whistle blower in 2010 and cooperated with the U.S. Department of Justice. The DOJ found the department engaged in biased policing against Latinos, and the town agreed to make a number of reforms. Four cops were also convicted as part of the probe.

Ferrara filed a federal lawsuit in 2017 against several town and police officials including Mayor Joseph Maturo alleging that he was targeted for retaliation, including being shunned by officers and not backed up on police calls. He also claimed he was subject to unfair internal affairs investigations and that he went from being on paid suspension to Family Medical Leave without being informed, according to the lawsuit.

Ferrara’s lawyer James Brewer said that the lawsuit will continue under Ferrara’s estate. A video deposition of Ferrara was done before his passing.

“It’s sad, I think Vince wanted some vindication before he passed away,” Brewer said, adding that he felt confident in the case against the town.

Ferrara was fired in January after the Board of Police Commissioners found that he violated the department’s policies regarding email use and being untruthful during an internal affairs investigation. The board also found he violated a policy by involving himself in an investigation with someone he knew personally.

Ferrara said in a sworn legal statement that he was ordered to take part in an internal affairs interview while suffering from what he would soon find out was brain cancer. He claimed that he was suffering from confusion during the interview. The interview would later be used in Ferrara’s termination hearing.

The federal case is before Judge Janet Hall. Defendants in the case have filed for summary judgement and Brewer has filed for partial summary judgement on an issue over Ferrara’s FMLA status toward the end of his employment with the department.

“Being a police officer meant everything to him and they took it away from him while he was sick,” Brewer said.

Earlier this year the town moved for summary judgement where a judge would rule on the lawsuit without a trial. Attorney Hugh Keefe who is representing East Haven in the case wrote in a court filing that no connection was established between any alleged adverse reactions and his cooperation with the FBI and that several of his allegations are beyond the statute of limitations. Several internal affairs investigations were launched after acting on information from other law enforcement agencies or members of the public.

Ferrara himself requested FMLA leave, which was approved by the town and his leave time docked in accordance with the law, Keefe wrote in the summary judgement motion.